I sent a proposal to our leaders here in Ireland that a trading price should be enforced on our produce by whatever means is possible. A trading price would have huge benefits, because it would protect farming and also help protect developing countries so that they can’t be discriminated against on prices.

It would also be a mechanism to deliver our minimum price, thus protecting our income just like the minimum wage does for trade unions and taxes do for governments all across Europe.

With modulation and the phasing out of subsidies just around the corner, it is vital that there is a mechanism put in place to protect farming. Other sectors have put mechanisms in place to protect their members – the time has come for our leaders to protect to do the same.

There’s an old saying: “For wrong to happen needs only good men to do nothing” – there are a lot of good men doing nothing.

The question that must be asked is how is it that we supply the most vital product, food, and yet our leaders cannot achieve a minimum price?